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Wardlow's absence from in-ring action has almost reached the one-year mark. While the big man is still a member of AEW's roster, he recently withdrew from an independent appearance, and a new report has shed some light on his status.
Mr. Mayhem last wrestled on the Big Business edition of AEW Dynamite on March 13, 2024. That night, he lost an AEW World Championship match against then-champion Samoa Joe. At the time, Wardlow was a member of The Undisputed Kingdom, but the faction had recently been making appearances without him.
The 37-year-old was initially scheduled to compete at Pandemonium Pro Wrestling's The House Always Wins event on April 17, but he recently withdrew. The big man was also reportedly spotted backstage at AEW Revolution this past weekend but didn't make an appearance on the show.
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According to Fightful Select, Mr. Mayhem has been quietly recovering from an injury. The report also noted that he's been working on other projects outside of pro wrestling, and it's unknown if he's currently even cleared to wrestle for Tony Khan's promotion.
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Matt Hardy wants to see Wardlow get a major push
Just a couple of years ago, Wardlow was one of the fastest-rising stars in All Elite Wrestling. After ditching his duties as MJF's bodyguard, the big man struck out on his own and gained a major following. Unfortunately, Mr. Mayhem's push ultimately fizzled out.
On a recent edition of his Extreme Life podcast, Matt Hardy heaped praise on the 37-year-old and said he wanted the big man to get a push, even if it's not in AEW:
"There's going to be a bunch of names, I'm sure... I would like to see Wardlow get a push. I would like to see Wardlow land in a promotion, and I'd like to see them push the s**t out of him. I'm not saying make him have a streak and go undefeated like Goldberg, but he has such charisma, he has such a look, and he is so talented, and he has such a good attitude. He has all the makeup of a big star, just someone needs to elevate him, and put him in a position to succeed," Hardy said.
Tony Khan recently granted the release of several underutilized stars. Whether Mr. Mayhem makes his way back to AEW television in the near future remains to be seen.
